Child&#39;s bib



Feb. 24, 1948.

J. A. BOCClERI CHILD S BIB Filed June 4, 1946 amended JIJHN A 5000/5/5/ Patented Feb. 24, 1948 [TED STATES ATENT OFFICE CHILDS BE John A. Boccieri, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application June 4, 1946, Serial No. 674,205

for purposes of protecting the clothing of the 7 child from falling food, etc. For thispurpose, it has been proposed to provide the bib of a length such that it can extend onto the tray board of the high chair, the practice being to anchor the tray end to the tray board to assure that the dropped food will find its way onto the tray and thus protect the clothing; various ways of anchoring such end of the bib have been proposed, these generally taking the form of strings to be tied, suitable fasteners, etc., and even by the use of suction cups which would adhere to the top of the tray by suction action; in each of these, the anchoring is in such form as to fix such tray end against all possible movement-ii the connections be made loose, the lost motion possibilities permit escape of the food from the tray under some conditions.

Children of such tender age are generally inclined to be restless, playful, etc. The high chair tends to act as a restraint, and the confining action induces restlessness and possible tendency to shift about; when the latter occurs the immatureness of the child makes possible the development of very undesirable conditions. This can be understood from the fact that the upper end of the bib is generally tied about the neck of the child, and with the lower end also secured to the tray by a fixed and unyieldable connection, the child is, likely to develop struggle. conditions which can reach serious consequences in an effort to escape the cause.

The present invention has for its object the production of a bib of this type which will retain the advantages of the earlier forms so far as protecting the clothing of the child is concerned, but to accomplish this in such way as will permit limited movement but with a measure of restraint present, the latter, however, never reaching the point where its presence will excite the child into a struggle state. The invention provides this result in a simple and inexpensive way, and provides a structure of simple form, capable of ready positioning, and which can be produced at relatively low cost.

To these and other ends, therefore, the nature of which will be more fully explained as the invention is hereinafter described, said invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts specifically described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a high chair with a child seated therein and with the invention in applied position.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the bib.

Figure 3 is a cross section of the chair tray, the view being taken on a line beyond the bib and looking toward the tray-secured end of the bib.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken at right angles to that of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the under face of the bib within the securing zone of one end of the band.

The bib, as indicated at I0, is formed generally of a suitable fabric, preferably washable. The contour thereof is preferably as shown in Figure 2 with the upper portion-the neck zonehaving an opening II to receive the neck of the child, and with the fabric slitted beyond the opening to the periphery, thus forming a pair of tabs designed to extend over the shoulders and to the rear of the neck. Suitable releasable securing means-shown as tying tapes l2permit the bib to be readily secured in position about the neck of the child. The bib has a length sufficient to reach to the tray zone of the high chair.indicated at Awith the Width increasing laterally toward its lower end, so that the latter end slightly exceeds the lateral width of the tray a in its wider zone, the lower end zone of the'bib being of the greatest width and with the contour such as to provide tab-like portions IS. The body of the bib may have its periphery above the lower edge zone suitably bound or taped, as shown. In general, the structure thus described, excepting possibly the specific contour of its lower end zone, conforms somewhat to the bibs heretofore used.

Secured to the ends of portions I3 is an element of resilient character-shown as an elastic band IS. The lower end zone of the bib is formed with a hem of substantially the width of band I5,

with the ends of the latter secured within the hem. The length of the band is such that end zones of portions l3 will underlie the remainder of the bib portions when the bib is laid out flat with the band free of tension. When the bib is in its service position the band underlies the tray a and the dimensions of the parts are such that in 3 such service position the band will be placed under tension, but with the bib portions which overlie the side edge portions of the tray presenting the fabric in contact with the tray; hence, the band is not materially afiected through friction which may develop through the movement of a restless child. The tension of the band, when the bib-equipped child is in position on the chair, need not be heavy, so that the portion of the fabric overlying the tray can be easily pressed downward into contact with the tray by the arms of the child-actually no material tension need be present at such time since the child will be unable to shift the positioned bib sufficiently forward as to clear the trayand since the band underlies the tray the child will be unable to reach the band zone sufficiently to stretch the band to an extent which would release it. But, inasmuch as there is a light tension effect presented under restless movements of the child, the latter is faced with a slight resistance status sufficient to tend to restrain it from making strong exertions since there is yield present but always of an increasing resistance value, so that the tendency is to tire the child if strong efforts are made to release; should the band be unyielding, the tendency would be to develop and to augment struggles by the child in an effort to release itself, and during the struggles the pressures would tend to pass to the neck of the child and thus increase the child's fright and struggles; with the yieldable band, the yield would decrease suchv pressure and in this way reduce the possibility of fright.

In practice. the bib may be applied in difierent ways. For instance, the child can be readily seated in the chair by'raising the tray, and the lower zone of the bib passed over the tray, either while the tray is raised or after it has been lowcred. after which the neck end is secured about the neck of the child; or the bib may be ap lied to the child before seating, and then applying the lower zone to the tray while the tray is raised. The former way is preferred sincethe application will then not be suggestive of the fact that by simply raising the tray the bib can be readily released from its secured position. Hence, by applying the bib to the tray and the child after the child is seated and with the tray loweredand first releasing the neck zone when the bib is to be released-mo suggestion will be provided of the simple form of release by raising the tray; the latter can be reserved for emergency conditions when rapid release is deemed essential.

In other words, the present invention is designed to not only provide for bib efficiency under placid conditions of service, but also to largely decrease the develo ment and augmenting of fright or alarm conditions with respect to the child which, if restless, will not find itself under a'definite, complete and unchanging resistance (such as where an unyielding securing means is used) the yielding characteristic provided by the present invention still presenting a resistance characteristic, but without materially tending to create fright or alarm on the-part of the child. And since the band is below the tray, leaving the latter free, the child is unable to reach it when seated, thus avoiding accidental or intentional breakdown of the securing means such as would be possible if such means were carried by the top surface of the tray, readily accessible to the child and offering a temptation to an inquisitive child.

As is apparent, the bib formation is of simple construction, inexpensive in manufacture, readily positioned and removed in service, and is efficient under the severest service conditions.

While I have herein shown and described a preferred form of the invention, it will be readily understood that changes or modifications therein may be found desirable and/or essential in meeting the exigencies of use and the desires of an individual user, and I therefore reserve the right to make any and all such changes or modifications therein as may be found desirable or essential, insofar as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of th appended claims, when broadly construed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In bib formations for use by a child when seated on a high chair, wherein the bib is removably carried by the neck of the child with the opposite end zone of the bib extending onto the top of the tray of the chair, the combination with a bib of such type, of resilient means carried by the bib for removably securing the tray-carried end of the bib to and in temporarily anchored relation with the tray, said means permitting child movements under variable resistance conditions while maintaining such secured end in such relative position on the tray in the presence of such child movements and said resilient means comprising an elastic band having its opposite ends secured to side portions of the bib within the tray-secured end zone.

2. A bib formation as in claim 1 characterized in that the band is adapted to be located in underlying relation to the chair tray when in service position, and a hem at the lower edge of the bib with the ends of the band secured within the hem.

JOHN A. BOCCIERI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name a Date 590,991 Lenhart Oct. 5, 1897 2,362,465 Carner Nov. 14, 1944 

